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mavichu · 1 month ago

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The future they took from us

Summary: This couldn’t be real, this couldn’t have had happened to Lucy, not to his Lucy. She didn’t deserve something like this, she was kind and forgiving, even to her enemies. She was everything, for him, she was. The reason he smiled every day, the reason he looked forward to the future, it was all because of her.

So why?

Notes: Just realized I never posted this fic here, lmao I'm so dumb, anyways.

Read it here (Ao3)

TW: BLOOD, GORE, TORTURE

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He couldn’t hear anything.

Not his breathing, nor the steps he started taking in her direction.

Why was she so quiet? Why couldn’t he hear her heartbeat? Or her breathing? Why was she so unnaturally still? Her chest didn’t move at all, not an inch. What was going on?

He kneeled right beside her, reaching for her shoulder. He wanted to yell at her to stop joking around, it wasn’t funny. She should know not to joke about these kind of things, she should never joke like this, she should know, so why?

“Lucy, stop this shit, it's not funny.” His own voice sounded foreign even to him, broken, like he would start crying any moment. Why would he? She was fine , right?

He started shoving her harder, seeing as she didn’t respond. He couldn’t even see her face, her hair sprawled across it. It looked weird, her usual golden hair wasn’t so golden anymore, reds and yellows mixing, why was it red? What was going on?

“How are you doing that.” He heard another voice, feminine, laced with surprise and… fear? Why would they be scared, nothing was wrong, everything was fine.

He forced himself to look at the new voice's direction, seeing a woman with short, blonde hair. ‘Lucy’s way prettier, hers is golden .’ He couldn’t help but compare them. Lately Lucy kept crossing his mind without his permission, but he didn’t care. If it was her, she could do anything she wanted.

“I’m not asking you again, how are you doing that.” She looked borderline psychotic, her eyes wide, panic obviously rising through her body, sweat making an appearance, and the blade she was aiming at him shaked like a leaf. Why was it covered in blood? Did she cut herself by accident?

“I’m not doing anything.” He didn’t need to waste his time answering this woman's stupid questions, he had far more important things to take care of, like Lucy. Why was she still not moving? She couldn’t be asleep, right? That would be weird, even for her.

“How are you moving!? Answer me!” She took a step closer to him, shouting like a madwoman. What the hell was her problem?

“I don’t know what the hell you are talking about, leave me alone.” He was starting to feel very annoyed, couldn’t she just take a hint and leave him alone with Lucy? He had yet to wake her, sometimes she could be quite the heavy sleeper, not even the smell of the home cooked breakfast he prepared for her would wake her. ‘Tomorrow I’ll cook her favorite, she’s gonna be so happy.’, yeah, he could already picture her smile, he couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

“You shouldn’t be able to move inside my time spell, is it because of that bitch? Is she somehow making you move in here?” Bitch? Who the hell was she calling a bitch? Not his Lucy, that was for sure, they would have a very big problem if that was the case. “Not like that matters anyway, I’ll kill you too, make you scream just like I made her. Should I take your eyes too? Perhaps that tongue of yours, maybe like that you will learn how to keep quiet.” Kill? Eyes? He didn’t understand anything, she wanted to kill him? Why?

“Back the fuck up, I'm busy here.” He looked back to Lucy, realizing that he should move her hair away from her face, he knew it was uncomfortable. He remembered the year he was gone, how his hair grew enough to make him wake up with too many hairs inside his mouth to even count, he would do this for her, too.

Still with a trembling voice, that woman made herself present. “Busy? With what, a corpse? Get up Romeo, you took too long to save your Juliet, stupid.”

…

A corpse? What corpse? Where? He started searching the room, if you could even call it that, ruins fit better, but he couldn’t find any corpse. Did that woman actually lose her mind? She looked like she did, but he tried not to judge people by their looks, he probably didn't look any saner right now.

“I think you lost your mind, woman.” He looked back to Lucy, still asleep, he started reaching for her face, he just wanted to free her face from her hair.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, you might want to remember her as she was before. I’m going to kill you too anyways, but might as well keep the good memory.” Remember her as she was? His Lucy didn’t change, at least not in a way that annoyed him, she got a little taller, her skin a bit tanner from all the jobs they took lately and her hair got impossibly long, he loved it. It smelled like strawberries and vanilla, and her own special scent, stronger now. He was addicted to pressing his nose to her hair during late night, when he sneaked into her room – he couldn’t help it.

“You are annoying me, leave us alone, I need to wake her up.” His patience, already thin, was about to snap when he heard her laugh.

“Ah, I see… the denial phase, it's so funny, quite the show.” Denial? Denial from what, he just wanted to go back home to Lucy and Happy, was that so much to ask? “Her name was Lucy, right? I remember the emperor mentioning her, something about being a big influence in your life, some kind of pillar. Gotta give it to you you kid, you know how to pick them, she was brave, if not stupid.” His ears started ringing, the emperor? She meant Zeref? How did he know about Lucy? This wasn’t good, he had to take her somewhere far away from here, somewhere safe.

“I’m going to admit it, she was inspiring. She didn’t flinch when I threatened her, not even when I was taking her eyes, she would have made a fine soldier.” Taking her eyes? Lucy’s eyes? “A shame, really, she was adamant about me not touching you. I complied, as a final wish – doesn’t mean I won’t kill you now.” Was, was , was, she just kept saying ‘was’, why is she talking like she’s gone. “Get up, if I’m going to do this, I’m gonna do it right.”

Natsu blocked out her voice, not processing a single word. He looked back to Lucy, she was sleeping, right? But… she wasn’t breathing… her heartbeat was gone… and her skin felt ice cold under his touch… why? Why? WHY?

“Luce… Lucy? Lucy! LUCY, WAKE UP! STOP PLAYING AROUND, THIS ISN’T FUNNY!” He was panicking, his vision blurring and shaking her too roughly for his own liking , but why wasn’t she waking up? “LUCY, PLEASE!” He begged, and begged, and begged, but she didn’t move, not an inch. Was she really… No! He made a promise, he would always protect her: her future, her life, no matter the cost. He was still begging Lucy to wake up when he felt something cold against his neck, sharp, already cutting his skin, but he didn’t care, he had to help Lucy.

“Your stupidity is beyond anything I’ve seen, I told you, she is dead. Beg all you want, cry and scream, cuss to the Gods if that’s what you feel like doing, but she isn’t coming back.” Dimaria was ready to finish him, deciding to give him a few more minutes, just so she could enjoy the show a little more.

“Please, Lucy, wake up. If you do, I’ll start using your front door… and I won’t sneak spicy sauce in your food either, I’ll be more careful in our jobs… anything you want, but please… please, wake up.” His voice was a whisper, something only meant for Lucy to hear. He cradled her head so she would be more comfortable, when her hair moved away from her face.

He didn’t move, he couldn’t. Blood, everywhere, her face, and her hair, all covered in blood. The moment he registered where it was coming from, his breathing spiked, and his heart stopped. Her face was covered with deep, grotesque cuts, crossing her eyes and the bridge of her nose. But the worst of all, were her eyes. Where her beautiful deep chocolate eyes should be, was nothing, her eyes sockets empty but from blood. Natsu was paralysed, not a blink nor a take of breath, like time stopped. She did this to Lucy? It had to be a dream, no, a nightmare. This couldn’t be real, this couldn’t have had happened to Lucy, not to his Lucy. She didn’t deserve something like this, she was kind and forgiving, even to her enemies. She was everything, for him, she was. The reason he smiled every day, the reason he looked forward to the future, it was all because of her.

So why?

He couldn't stop the tears that fell from his eyes, finally realizing that his Lucy was truly gone. This was wrong, everything was wrong. They were supposed to be together forever. He should have told her, how he felt, how much she meant to him, how he spent entire nights imagining their future together, how he pictured them living together in his house, how he imagined Lucy cradling a baby, their daughter . And everything was gone.

Because of her.

“You did this…” His voice was strained, hoarse from crying, it was just a whisper, but it sent pure terror through Dimaria's body. Her posture wavered for a second. The energy he emanated changed, it felt like darkness itself was going to swallow her whole. She felt like a cornered mouse – how? She was the hunter, not the prey.

Dimaria watched as Natsu placed Lucy gently on the floor, standing up seconds later. She couldn't see his face, but she didn’t want to. She knew she would be looking at death itself if she did. She stopped breathing, he was changing, into something else, something dark. His hands turned into razor-like claws, black magic crawling up his arms and tinting his skin, horns like a demon’s growing from his head. She was paralyzed, she never thought that the blonde bimbo would trigger him like this. She wouldn’t blink, or breathe, she wouldn’t move a single muscle, she knew that if she did, she would die.

“You did this.” With something that could only be described as inhuman speed, he appeared right in front of her, looking directly into her eyes. Eyes red as blood pinned her in place, she couldn’t make a sound, absolute terror paralyzing her. She was dead, it didn’t matter what would come out of her mouth, she was dead.

“I didn’t know… I promise… I would have ne-” He didn’t even let her finish before she was thrown across the room, the blow so strong it sent her through the wall, breaking several ribs and her back. She couldn’t breath, the pain too great to even scream. “Mercy, please…” She begged for her life with the little strength she had left, not knowing how she could even talk in the first place.

“Mercy… I’m sure she asked you to stop, but you didn’t.” He approached her with a calmness that terrified her to the very core. ”I’m sure she tried to make peace with you. Lucy is like that, merciful to everyone, even her enemies. Lucy would have forgiven you.” He grabbed her from the neck, strangling her, not letting her feet touch the ground. Dimaria screamed in pure agony when he started burning her skin, a horrible sizzle sound echoing and the vile smell of burning flesh filling the place. “ I’m not Lucy .” A powerful blast of fire covered Dimaria completely, burning her to the bone. Her anguish could be heard from miles away, stopping allies and foes the same.

When she stopped moving Natsu broke her neck, making sure she stayed dead. ‘Not enough’ He thought, he needed to eradicate the cause from the root. ‘Zeref, I have to kill Zeref. If he didn’t start this war… She would still be with me, she would be alive .’ He remembered what Zeref told him, how if he died, Natsu would too, but he didn’t care. Lucy was gone, what was the point anymore? The future he looked forward to died the moment she did, his happiness, his light, his life , everything, just gone. ‘Wait for me Lucy, I’ll see you soon.’ He walked towards the exit, when a sound made him stop in his tracks.

“Nh…” He turned slowly, noticing a hoarse breathing.

“Natsu…” He was completely paralyzed, his brain stopped working, until he heard it again.

“Natsu…” Before she finished calling for him, he was already by her side, cradling her gently into his chest. ‘She’s alive.’

“I’m here… I’m here.” He tried to reassure her, holding his tears as long as he could. His transformation receded, his claws turning into hands again. He didn’t want to cause her more pain.

“Natsu, she… she didn’t stop… she laughed… ” She started coughing, blood coming out of her mouth. Natsu panicked, he didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know if something could be done at all, was he too… late? Were her injuries too brutal for her to sur- NO! She would be fine, he just needed to think.

“She wanted to hurt you… I could have ne-never lived with myself if she did- if I let her, Natsu I- I’m so scared…”

“I know, I know, I'm scared too…” They were both crying helplessly in each other's arms, trying to give as much hope as they could in a single hug, they could only do so much.

“Gods Lucy, you should have let her do what she wanted to me, I couldn’t- I couldn’t protect you… I broke my promise, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…” He kept apologizing, like a mantra, hoping she would let him stay by her side, even if he broke her trust.

“I-It’s not your fault Na- AAAH!” She started screaming out of nowhere, Nastu looked at her in shock, he couldn’t move, his body stopped responding, but he had to do something, now.

“Natsu! It hurts! PLEASE NATSU, PLEASE HELP ME!” His body couldn’t move, he could hear how much she was hurting and in a desperate attempt to make his body react, he willed his voice to come out.

“WENDY!” He shouted, broken, like that would be the very last word that would come out of his mouth, his desperation clear as day. “WENDY PLEASE, I NEED YOU!” He forced his body to move, carrying Lucy in his arms, and making a dash out of the ruins. His eyes searched with panic, hoping to spot blue hair somewhere, anywhere. Forcing his senses to their limit, he had to find her, no matter what.

It looked like the gods were by his side at the moment, seeing Wendy and Porlyusica in the distance. “WENDY!” His body was at his limit, he could only walk the remaining distance, each step feeling heavier than the last one. He looked at Lucy, looking like she passed out at some point. ‘At least she is not hurting anymore’. The sound of her heartbeat was the only thing keeping him sane at the moment. He could see Wendy running in their direction, the little adrenaline in his body disappearing, making him stop, if he kept walking, he would not have enough strength to carry Lucy.

His breathing was rapid, if he didn’t calm down he would pass out, and he couldn’t do that, not until knowing Lucy was in the clear. Wendy would heal her, fix her eyes, and everything would end. They would go back to Fairy Tail, go on more adventures together, Happy and him would play pranks on her again… And maybe… maybe he would tell her, her near-death made him realise that he shouldn't waste more time. Everything would be fine, Wendy just needed to fix her eyes… and everything would be just fine.

“Wendy… Her eyes… You can fix them, right?” He started crying again, tears blurring his vision. All the strength he had left his body, making him fall to his knees. He watched how Wendy looked at Lucy, horror painting her face . He hated himself for making her see something so unsettling, but Lucy needed help, and she was the best option. “Wendy, please, she needs help, her eyes… She is hurting so much, please help her.” He laid her gently on the floor, and watched how she started using her magic ‘She’s gonna be fine’. Natsu kept repeating those words like a prayer, begging the Gods to help Lucy.

“What in God's name happened to her, boy?” Natsu jumped, forgetting Porlyusica was there too. He hesitated to answer; he didn’t want to remember, he just wanted to go home.

“An enemy, a woman, I don’t… I don’t know her name. When I woke up I saw Lucy… laying on the ground, that’s when this monster started talking to me, she did… this…” He was furious, yes, but with himself. If we woke up sooner maybe nothing of this would have happened. Everything was his fault.

“Where is she now?”

“Dead, I killed her.” He saw in his peripheral how Wendys hands stilled for a brief moment. He guessed hearing something like that from one of her closest friends must be shocking, he always tried to shield her from things like this, Wendy was too precious for him, his little sister. He had to protect her, too.

Sweat soaked Wendy's bangs , fighting in a war and having to heal such wounds would exhaust anyone. She has come a really long way, since long being a beloved and essential member of their family – he just hoped she was strong enough today to fix Lucy.

“Listen to me, Natsu.” Porlyusica’s voice was firm. She sounded like someone who had to give bad news, but had to stay strong to do so. “Lucy’s eyes are gone , Wendy can’t heal that, it’s not possible.” What? What did she mean by that? Not possible? But Wendy was an amazing healer, how could she not… there had to be a way.

“But… she’s…”

“I-I’m so so-sorry, Natsu. I’m just healing the cuts a-and stopping the bleeding, I can’t- there is no magic that can give her her eyes back, I’m so sorry…” Wendy was sobbing, she felt useless, what good was her magic if she couldn't help her friends? She felt like a disappointment.

“No, there has to be a way… You!” Natsu screamed, pointing at Porlyusica. “You healed Erza’s eye, the one she was missing! You can heal her!” Natsu started to have hope again. How hadn't he thought of that? Erza was missing an eye too, but Porlyusica gave her a new one! Lucy’s eyes could be fixed!

“It’s not that easy, kid… I don’t know who did this, but whoever did, was too strong for me, or for Lucy to be able to do nothing. That woman must have impregnated the weapon she used to do this to Lucy with magic… I can’t do anything for her, Natsu. I’m… I’m sorry.” Porlyusica watched how Natsu’s eyes lost the last bit of hope that he had, that spark, disappearing completely.

“There is… nothing? You can’t do… anything?” He sounded hollow, like his soul died and the only thing left was a shell of the man they once knew.

“I’m sorry, kid.”

Natsu looked back to Lucy, the future he looked forward to disappearing right in front of his eyes: all the sunsets they would watch together, the nights together stargazing, all gone. A memory flashed before his eyes, from long before the war started.

.-.-.-.-.-.

“Come on Natsu! We’re going to miss the sunset!” Lucy shouted from the top of the hill, she could have the energy when she wanted, eh?

“Give it a rest will ya’? I thought we were gonna stargaze or something, not watch the sunset!” He was kinda annoyed, Happy ditched him, making a run for it at the last second, and stargazing was not his favorite thing to do; he had to stay still for too long for his liking, but knowing Lucy she would never shut up about how he didn’t do anything for her, as if.

“Stop whining like a baby and come here, sometimes you have to get out of your comfort zone to enjoy life, Natsu!”

“Look who’s talkin’.” He murmured, knowing damn well he would get a Lucy kick where the sun doesn’t shine if she heard him.

“‘I’ll buy you ice cream if you stop complaining and get here already. God damnit, I’ve seen faster snails.”

“Ha ha, funny. But just because you’re buying me ice cream! You’re crazy.” He was still mumbling when he reached the top, suddenly Lucy snatched his wrist and dragged him so they could watch the damn sunset. It was pretty, but she could be a drama queen from time to time.

He watched as she started running the other direction all of a sudden, thinking she had finally lost her mind, when suddenly she stopped. She turned around and looked at Natsu with a smirk he didn't like one bit.

“Catch me.” He thought he heard her wrong, so he asked just in case.

“What?”

Like a flash she started running towards him, making him panic, was she going to crash against him? What the hell was she doing?!

“Catch me!” Only a few steps away from crashing against him, she jumped into his arms, making him spin so the force of the impact would lessen. She was crazy, what the hell was she thinking. When he stopped spinning Lucy clinged to him like a koala, making his stomach do flips.

“Are you nuts?! You could’ve hurt yourself, ya’ know? Mira would’ve killed me if-”

“You caught me.” She interrupted him, making him go silent, what the…

“I’ll always catch you, you know that.” He sounded uncharacteristically soft, she always made this part of him come out, his most vulnerable side, exposed. But when it was her… He didn’t mind one bit.

“I know.” She cradles his face, intertwining her hands in his hair. “You are like my dragon in shining armor!” She laughed, the biggest smile on her face. Natsu went completely still, the sunset made her look like an angel, her golden hair looked like liquid fire and the light gave the illusion of a halo. ‘She really is beautiful.’ A blush made its way to his cheeks, not being able to stop his thoughts. Lucy was like a parasite that simply refused to leave his mind. He guessed that was the one parasite he didn't mind having.

“You really are a weirdo.” His smile was just as big as hers now, he really was lucky, having someone as Lucy by his side. He wouldn’t change that for anything.

“Come on, let’s watch the stars.” Lucy got down from him, like he was some kind of tree, making him notice that the sun had set. Just how much time did he spend looking at her like an idiot? No matter, he was going to make the best of his time alone with her.

“Yeah, let’s go.” He took her hand in his, realizing he didn’t give a damn about doing something boring, as long as it was with her.

.-.-.-.-.-.

“Natsu…” He heard her voice, the little strength she had left in her body only allowing her to whisper. She lifted her hand, trying to reach for something. Natsu grabbed it, trying to give her reassurance, though he knew it was the other way around.

“I’m here, Lucy, I’m not going anywhere.” He was crying, again, he knew it had to be him, the one to break the news. He had to tell her she just became blind, that she would never be able to stargaze anymore, or that she would never watch another sunset. It had to be him.

“Natsu I’m… I can’t- I don’t- I’m so scared… please Natsu…” Every word that came out of her mouth felt like a knife in his heart, this was so wrong, this should not have happened, why did it happen to her? She was good, it wasn’t fair.

“Luce, you need to listen to me, okay? The woman who did this to you… She… She took your eyes, Lucy.” He just wanted to go home, to how everything was before. The words got stuck in his throat, “Wendy can’t heal you… no one can.” His tears poured down his face as he watched how Lucy processed everything he just told her.

“She can’t… heal me? But… but my eyes? What d-do you mean?”

“Lucy, your eyes are gone. You… you will never see again.” And just like that, their world collapsed.

“No… Natsu no- that can’t- NO! It can’t be- NO! I can’t be blind! PLEASE NATSU, PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE LYING, PLEASE!” She was holding onto Natsu like it was the only thing keeping her alive, crying inconsolably, begging him to help her. Gods, he wished he could, he wanted to beg the Gods to please give her his eyes, but he knew they wouldn’t listen, they never did.

“I’m so sorry Lucy, I’m sorry, I’m sorry… ” He was desperate, what good was his strength if he couldn't protect the woman he loved? That year apart, for nothing. He was so stupid, leaving her behind, making himself believe it was the right thing to do, leaving her with a shitty note, everything because he was a coward . He wanted to become stronger to protect her, that was his goal, and like everything he touches, he destroyed that too.

“No… I won’t see the stars again? Natsu I- Gods no… ” In a last attempt to comfort her, Natsu hugged her, cradling her to his chest. “I’ll describe the sky for you every night, every sunset, every flower field. Every star I see, I’ll take your hand and point to it so you know where they are… I promise. Let me be your eyes, Lucy, until the day I die.” They were both crying and hugging each other, making promises and giving hope to each other. It would be difficult but they would get there.

“Never leave my side, Natsu, please.”

“Never… I love you.”

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